Peak Information

Mount Goetze is named in honor of Christopher Goetze (1939-1977), a pioneering climber and explorer of the Torngat Mountains. In 1973 he and Michael Adler made the first ascent of Mount Caubvick, the highest point in Labrador, after a kayak trip up the rugged coast.

Goetze was a longtime member of the Appalachian Mountain Club in Boston, and as a youth he set several speed hiking records in the White Mountains. His expeditions to the coast and mountains of Labrador were innovative at the time and inspired others to explore this remote and beautiful area. He became a noted geology professor at MIT, but tragically died of a brain tumor at the age of 38.

Mount Goetze overlooks the stunning panorama of the Bear's Gut fjord in Chris's beloved Torngats. It was first climbed in 1975 by a group of Chris's friends, including Michael Adler. After Chris's death in 1977, they proposed the peak's name in his honor.